I’m tired of writing these sad posts, and I know you must be tired of reading responses to the outbursts of violence that plague our country’s communities. I was a few miles away from Monterey Park over the weekend, adjacent to the violent tragedy. There is relief now that the shooter is no longer a threat, but also profound sadness at the loss of life.
As German Lopez reminded us this morning in the New York Times briefing:
“This kind of mass shooting has become tragically common in the U.S.; what would be a rare horror in any other developed country is typical here. Yet the cause is no mystery. America has an enormous amount of guns, making it easier for someone to carry out a deadly shooting … All over the world, there are people who argue, fight over relationships, suffer from mental health issues or hold racist views. But in the U.S., those people can more easily obtain a gun and shoot someone.”
Monterey Park will find community resources to heal from this awful event. May the memory of the deceased be a blessing.
UPDATE: And now we must add Half Moon Bay to this sad list of tragedies. We don’t have to live this way.
While nowhere near to any of this, as I live in Switzerland, I have lived in the States and feel with you all.
I would add to German Lopez’ words that there is too little done for those in despair. Yes, other countries have people with issues too, and they stretch out a hand through health insurance, accessible treatment, and communal care. Making guns less accessible is half the solution, and maybe not the one that will truly help. It is a start.
I do not want to play politics here. As I said, I am too far removed from all this. It was in my heart to help.